Giving My Whole Heart
by With a Burning Heart
Summary: Edward and Emmett Cullen are players on the U.S. Hockey team who bring their friends and fellow athletes together at the 2010 Olympics. What happens when an innocent Speed Skater from Phoenix with a past is thrown into the mix? AH


**TITLE**  
**Giving My Whole Heart**

**SUMMARY**  
**Edward and Emmett Cullen are players on the U.S. Hockey team who bring their friends and fellow athletes together at the 2010 Olympics. What happens when an innocent Speed Skater from Phoenix with a past is thrown into the mix? AH **

**RATING**  
**M**

**DISCLAIMER**

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight.**

**The organizers of this contest and the authors of the stories submitted intend no copyright infringement.**

**ANONYMITY DISCLAIMER**

**This story is the work of its author and not of this contest. It has been submitted under the With a Burning Heart** **pen name for the purposes of this contest only. It remains the work of its author.**

**A/n**  
**Thank you to my prereader and my beta who rock my world on a daily basis. I would tell you who they are but then I would have to kill you. **

**~Bella~**

I managed to make my way into the Olympic Village and check in. I had one week to get acclimated before the games started. My roommate was a figure skater whom I'd heard of but hadn't officially been introduced to... yet. Her name was Alice Brandon. I knew she was petite with dark hair but nothing prepared me for the tiny tornado that waited for me in our room.

I opened the door and was halfway through lugging my giant bag into the room when I was assaulted. A small blur pounced on me and immediately began chattering.

"Hi, you must be Isabella Swan! You're a speed skater right? And you're from Arizona? How do you live in Arizona and become an Olympic speed skater? This is your first Olympics, right? It's mine, too! Are you excited?"

_Oh no, they've stuck me with the pixie from hell_.

"Um, hi." I stammered a greeting and tried to gently dislodge the pixie from my side. "Can I just …"

"Oh, yeah … Sorry!" She jumped back and allowed me to enter. I breathed a sigh of relief and dumped my things on the open bed at the other end of the room. I decided it would be better to answer the demented pixie's questions rather than wait for her to speak.

"I actually go by Bella. I am a speed skater. I do live in Phoenix. I have access to a rink there. This is my first Olympics, and I'm a little nervous. Did I miss anything?" I raised an eyebrow at her and sat down on the foot of the bed.

"Ya know, no one has ever kept up with me when I've done that," she squealed and jumped up and down like an excited mouse, an excited, dark-haired, oddly graceful, pixie-fairy mouse. "We're going to be best friends!"

"Well," I hesitated. I usually stuck to myself, kept quiet, and tried to remain invisible. The fact that I'd even tried out for the Olympics was a miracle. "Pleased to meet you." I forced a laugh. I planned to ditch this girl as quickly and quietly as possible. She danced over and squeezed me tighter than I expected for such a small person.

When she released me, the door banged open violently. A lanky, greasy-haired blonde man wearing a black T-shirt and jeans strode into the room. The pixie launched herself at him. He lifted her and deflected her body to the side. The man barely spared her a glance before zeroing in on me.

"Well, hello…" His voice was smoother than I expected. The way he looked at me was entirely unpleasant, appraising me like a piece of meat. His eyes lingered just a little too long on my body and made me feel uncomfortable.

"I'm James, and you would be?" He snatched my hand off the bed and held it in his while he waited for my answer. I tried not to gasp in shock at his forwardness or grimace that he touched my hand. He was the epitome of skeeze.

"Bella Swan." My response was short and clipped. I wanted to convey my absolute disinterest in him as quickly as possible.

"Ah, from Phoenix …" He kissed my hand, and I wiped it surreptitiously as soon as it was returned in one piece.

When was the fact that I was from Arizona going to stop being a novelty? Was I going to spend the duration of the games saying, 'Yes we have skating rinks there, and that's where I practice.' You'd think the northern half of the country had a monopoly on ice skaters.

"Yes, from Phoenix," I said, not keeping the condescension out of my voice.

"I see you've met my partner, Alice," he stated, moving my bag to the side to sit next to me. I did not want to sit next to The Skeeze under any circumstances. There was no telling what I could catch just breathing the same air.

"Yes, Alice and I are best friends," I deadpanned. The pixie squeed and pirouetted around the room. "You're competing in pairs figure skating, yes? You came in just ahead of Jasper and Rosalie Hale?"

"Yes, we're very grateful for Rose. Thanks to her complete incompetence when it comes to lifts, the playing field will be much easier this year," he mused.

"Uh huh …" I got up and started unpacking my things, so I wouldn't have to remain next to James.

"Don't be like that, James," Alice chided while searching through her closet where she'd already unpacked and hung her belongings.

"What do _you_ know, Alice?" James snapped. Had he really just talked to his partner like that? "If Jasper had still been with Maria and Peter with Charlotte, we never would have made it. Especially since you can't seem to lock your arms properly!"

This wasn't something I needed to hear. Why was he yelling at her at all? I tried to make myself invisible by staring into my bag. His tirade continued until he ultimately walked over and grabbed her harshly by the arms. I stopped looking at my bag and stared wide-eyed at the two.

"Um," I uttered. James dropped the little girl and turned to growl at me before storming out of the room. "Are you okay?" I gasped.

"Yeah, James just has a bit of a temper before a competition. I shouldn't have said anything," she defended him.

"As your best friend, I feel obligated to inform you that that behavior isn't normal, and you shouldn't stand for it." I gently took her arm in my hand to examine it. There was some faint bruising like this wasn't the first time he'd grabbed her too violently.

"As my best friend, I would like you to look the other way," she whispered.

"I can't look the other way and still be a good friend," I told her.

"Then, I guess we're acquaintances," she chirped.

"Alice," I sighed.

"No, you need to understand that he's the only shot I have at a medal. Aside from Jasper Hale, he's the best, and if I have to put up with a little crap along the way, I will." Alice Brandon was no longer a pixie but a dragon, perhaps a kodragon, small and cute, but fierce and dangerous.

"Point taken, you're a big girl, you can take care of yourself," I acquiesced and backed away.

"I'm glad we understand each other." She nodded and went back to the closet. "Want to go out tonight? I'm planning on hitting a few clubs."

"Aren't you a bit young to go clubbing?" She didn't look more than seventeen.

"I'll get in, trust me." Alice pulled a sequined blouse out of the closet and held it up to herself. "The question is: Will you?" She eyed me up and down.

"What?" I looked down.

"Please tell me you brought something other than track suits and T-shirts in that big bag of yours -"

"I have some nice clothes-" I hadn't even formed the words before she practically climbed into my bag and pulled out something that she deemed acceptable. Then the torture began. After three hours she had me preened and polished with my hair curled down my back.

**~Emmett~**

I ran into Alice Brandon almost as soon as we got off the plane, literally. She and Edward were good friends from years past sitting and watching the Olympics together. They had spent most of the month together in Torino. I scooped her up off the ground into a bear hug at the airport.

"How's my favorite bear?" she squealed as I spun her around.

"Doing good, girly girl." I placed her gently back on her feet.

"Hey, what are you and Edward doing tonight?" I glanced at Edward; he looked a bit apprehensive but scratched his neck and nodded.

"I'm guessing we're going out with you?" I ventured.

"You guessed right! Meet me at seven in front of the elevators!" She danced around and hugged Edward.

"Hey, can we invite the Hales?" The girl lit up like a Christmas tree when I asked.

"Invite whoever you want." She danced away down the concourse.

We got ourselves settled and changed, and I managed to find Jasper's room just after he and his sister made it in to invite them out for an evening of entertainment organized by Alice. Fortunately, they were game. So, six forty-five found us standing by the bank of elevators on the girls' floor, waiting for Alice and Rosalie.

"Have you seen Isabella Swan yet?" Jasper asked. He cracked open the soda he'd grabbed from the vending machine just down the hall.

"No," Edward answered. "No one seems to know anything about her except that she's from Arizona." He tried to look smooth and leaned against the wall like some sort of male model.

"Who's ever heard of a speed skater from Phoenix?" I guffawed at the thought. Isabella Swan from Phoenix, Arizona, had appeared out of nowhere and overtaken the top skaters in the country. "They don't even have _ice_ in Phoenix."

"It's called a rink." A soft feminine voice spoke from behind me. I turned and caught sight of a small, well-shaped brunette. She blushed furiously and crossed her arms over her chest. Her soda can left a condensation mark across her right boob. "Bella Swan, from Phoenix." She made an attempt at smirking and suddenly extended her hand. The smirk was ruined by the fact that her cheeks were turning an even darker shade of burgundy. Her motions were hesitant and shaky like she'd honestly forgotten to extend her hand initially.

"Sorry, Emmett Cullen at your service." I took her tiny hand in mine and, instead of shaking it, I kissed her knuckles. She frowned slightly but allowed the action. I continued to hold her hand and pulled her closer to make room for another group of athletes to pass us in the hall. She raised an eyebrow at the action but, once again, made no protest. She could be a fun little conquest. I unleashed my most disarming grin on her, but she seemed unphased.

"You can let go of me now," she purred. I released her, and she waltzed away down the hall.

"Wow, Cullen, I think that's the first time I've seen you strike out," Jasper whistled.

"Watch it, Hale, the games haven't even started, there's still time," I grunted. "Besides, guys who put their hands all over their own sisters shouldn't talk."

"Whatever, Cullen, the ladies love figure skaters."

"Male figure skaters are gay," I retorted.

"And guys who chase a tiny puck around the ice and slam into each other are stupid, no offense, Edward." Jasper smiled. "I like her," he added with a nod at Bella who was still making her way up the hall. As if on cue, she looked back at us and tripped spectacularly, face-planting into the floor before getting up and brushing herself off like nothing happened.

"I saw her first," I staked my claim.

"Yeah, but you put the old Cullen moves on her and didn't get anywhere. She walked away, dude." Jasper's face twisted mischievously. "Besides, you're in love with my sister."

"I have no damn clue what you're talking about, Hale."

"Oh, yes, you do, Cullen. I can feel the sexual tension rolling off the two of you. Only, it won't be just sex, and that scares the piss out of you." He glanced up the hall. I followed his gaze to Rosalie who had just emerged from her room. Her hair was pulled to one side leaving a sexy expanse of neck visible. I let out an involuntary groan and adjusted myself. She sauntered toward us to wait for Alice. I watched the sway of her hips and the slight jiggle of her tits until I got caught.

She cleared her throat loudly and quipped, "I hope you enjoyed your eyeful, Cullen." She stared me down and talked to Jazz without pulling her eyes away from mine. "So, is Alice Brandon even old enough to go clubbing, and whose friend is she? I know she's not yours, Jazz."

"She's my friend," Edward piped up from his position against the wall. "Alice is seventeen, but I wouldn't worry too much about her. She does this all the time."

My situation with Rosalie Hale had to be handled. I had to be less wound-up if I was going to try to bag any of the other hotties in the dorm. It was going to be a long night. Damn, looking at her made not only my pants tight, but it also made my heart hurt.

**~ Alice~**

Jasper Hale was standing at the bank of elevators with my friends. I couldn't believe it. He leaned casually between two elevators, his blonde hair curled just over his ears and across the back of his neck. I wanted to brush it aside with my nose and lick across where those curls must tickle him. I'd met him before. Just after the final routine at Nationals, he'd come over and said that we'd done well. My face had felt like it had cracked in half because my smile stretched across so much of it, but James had decided to be a jerk. Jasper stayed away after that.

I was reminded of the situation by James' hand on my back firmly guiding me to the elevators. I wasn't free to pursue Jasper. I was with James, whether or not I wanted to be with him. He had a history of being very possessive when it came to his partners, and I needed him. Without James, I was nothing.

Bella strode a few steps ahead of us and managed to trip three times between our room and the elevators. I couldn't figure out exactly why or how she managed to skate with so little coordination. She let out a groan when we stopped. I shot her a quick look before beginning introductions.

"Bella Swan, this is-"

"Emmett Cullen, I know," she ground out through gritted teeth.

"Oh, you've met." I smiled. Emmett had probably already tried to get into her pants. Damn, he was fast. "Have you met his brother, Edward?" I indicated my friend who leaned against the wall opposite Jasper.

"Not formally." She smiled.

"Edward Cullen." Edward extended his hand and gave hers a quick shake. He released her like she was some sort of poisonous snake.

"I'm Jasper Hale," Jasper introduced himself. He stepped forward and clasped her hand gently in his. I wished he'd touch me like that. "You'll have to pardon Emmett, my beautiful Bella. He lacks a basic filtering system between his brain and his mouth." He looked at her like there was no one else in the room. Her other hand lifted to her heart in a seemingly unconscious move. "This is my sister, Rosalie."

"Charmed," Rosalie grunted. "Is this everyone? I'm ready to get the show on the road."

I ushered everyone into the elevator. Bella seemed uncomfortable. She wedged herself into the corner as far from everyone as she possibly could. What caused that? I wondered how she'd met Emmett and what exactly he'd done to elicit the reaction he did from her. There had to be a story there, and I'd get it from her eventually.

Rosalie wasn't what I'd expected. Her brother was always so warm and nice. It seemed that he got all of the pleasant genes in that family. She was certainly attractive, a bit tall for pairs figure skating. She had always competed in singles before, and I wondered why she made the switch for what was sure to be her final Olympics. It struck me as odd that of the top two couples from the U.S. neither of the women had competed in pairs at this level. Rosalie suddenly shifted her weight, and I noticed that she had been leaning into Emmett. I smirked and was rewarded by James' arm tightening around me.

James was an issue. He was accustomed to being _with_ his partners, but thus far I had held him off due to our age difference. I was still technically a minor, and he was old enough that any interaction of that kind could be seen as statutory rape. But he was still insanely possessive. If he wasn't going to have me, then no one was.

However, that street didn't go two ways. He was eyeing Bella. She had already tried to subtly dissuade him. Little did she know that James wasn't going to take the hint. I would have to clue her in later. The girl seemed pretty oblivious. She had three guys competing for her attention on the first day.

I tried not to stare at the interaction between her and Jasper. I wanted that to be Jasper and me. He was attractive and kind and talented. I wanted him. I really, really wanted him. He didn't even seem to know that I existed beyond being his competitor. It was heartbreaking.

**~Rosalie~**

Alice Brandon was staring at my brother with far too much intensity. I'd seen that look before on many a girl. She was after him. This situation was the exact reason why I'd agreed to be his partner. Jasper was too attractive for his own good. His past two partners had developed crushes on him, causing issues at practice and even more during competition. It wore him down to the point where he almost quit the sport. That was the only reason I was amenable to working with him when Jasper's coach suggested I try pairs figure skating.

We made it through Nationals solely as a result of Jasper's talent. He could skate with a sack of potatoes and win. I couldn't help feeling that I was holding him back. He had a chance at a medal with me, but with someone more experienced at pairs a medal would have been guaranteed. I'd argued with him about it since our first competition when it was still soon enough to find him another partner. He insisted that I wasn't holding him back and that my participation made things easier for him. However, I made mistakes his former partners never did. My positioning would be slightly off, and he'd have to compensate at the last second. His scores were lower because of me.

James Hunt didn't seem to have that kind of problem. Of the two in that pairing, James was the weaker one. I couldn't put my finger on it, but there was something going on between him and Alice that they were hiding. They seemed like a couple, but she was too young, and her posture was wrong next to him. When they were off the ice, he kept a possessive hand on her at all times. She seemed to cringe away from his touch. I really couldn't blame her. I wouldn't want him to touch me either. Their coach should have put an end to this behavior. It seemed like she was utterly unprotected from this guy.

I stole another glance at the young Miss Brandon. Jasper had watched her like a hawk at Nationals. I sensed something almost protective about the way he looked at her. She would have been an ideal partner for him. If he wanted to continue as an amateur for another four years, he might be able to steal her from James. Jasper wasn't easily impressed and neither was our coach, but both of them watched Alice with rapt attention. Jasper went out of his way to tell her she'd skated well last time we met. However, her douche of a partner decided to make a scene. My brother knew when to back off. He barely looked at the girl from the time she walked down the hall and into this cramped elevator.

Instead he turned the charm on to the mysterious Isabella Swan. She would likely be the most sought after conquest since she was new and pretty and had this odd damsel-in-distress quality about her. Damn, she was clumsy. The girl tripped her way down the hall to meet us. She carried an overly fluffy coat along with a big hat and thick gloves. I hoped she didn't intend to actually wear that. It wasn't that cold. To top it off, she was so uncomfortable she crammed her way into the corner of the elevator. Emmett seemed to have already ticked her off, but that wouldn't stop him from chasing her. The only male in our small group who didn't seem to be making eyes at the girl was Edward. He had sneered when introduced to her. However, that didn't redeem the boy's taste in women. He fawned over Tanya Eleazaorvna, and she was most definitely bad news.

I turned my head to Emmett Cullen and found that we were leaning in toward each other. I immediately fixed my posture, and he righted himself as well. He had the gall to give me a shocked look like he hadn't initiated the whole lean in. He had done it first, right? It couldn't have been me. I wasn't affected by his bag of womanizing tricks. Was I? But damn, he smelled good. I pulled in another deep breath of his manly scent. It was no wonder he did so well with the ladies; he smelled good and when he wanted to turn on the charm, he was irresistible.

The elevator suddenly touched down on the ground floor. The slight rebound at the bottom knocked me into Emmett. His hands wrapped around my waist, and my body hummed slightly in response. I jumped at the unexpected reaction and turned to glare at him. His hands slid around me without losing contact, and he smirked back at me.

"Down, girl," he whispered into my ear.

My heart caught in my throat. Why was his voice in my ear so sexy? I had to work to find my ire, but I located it and shoved my theoretical foot up his ass.

"Back off, neanderthal," I spat at him and swept his hands off my body. I stalked out of the open elevator doors to a chorus of "ooohs" from the peanut gallery.

"You are striking out left and right, my friend," my brother murmured.

**~Edward~**

Rosalie Hale put my brother in his place. I snickered at him for grabbing her the way he did. He had to have been watching pretty closely to see that slight waver in her balance and catch her. The only reason I'd seen it was because she was directly in the line of sight between myself and Bella, and I'd just snuck another look at her. I'd have to find out how old she was. She looked fairly young, and this was her first trip to the games. The girl looked scared out of her mind and probably needed a friend other than Alice.

My brother was shameless. He was obviously interested in Rosalie, but he'd staked a claim on Bella Swan, anyway. I had to admit she was fascinating. I noticed right away that she wasn't like the normal ego-maniacal athletes we tended to meet. Instead she seemed shy and slightly out of place. Her clothes didn't look like the designer labels Rosalie and Alice wore. She was trying not to draw attention to herself. I pondered what a girl like that was doing at the Olympics in the first place. Especially in a solo sport like speed skating. For most, the games were about glory. What on Earth was the shy girl from Phoenix doing here in Vancouver? For goodness sakes, the girl practically huddled in the corner of the elevator like she was trying to sink into the wall.

I could tell she wanted to stand up to Emmett earlier, but her attempt was weak. He used his typical charm to try to woo her, and she ran like a wild animal. She had this look in her eyes like she was continuously on the lookout for danger, and yet she was analyzing everything that happened around her. Behind that quiet mask, thoughts of something other than sex or glory were continuously in motion.

When Alice introduced us, her hand shocked me. I dropped her hand quickly because the sensation didn't dissipate. I rubbed it lightly with the other one as I watched her hesitate, staring at the open elevator doors. The shock wasn't your normal static electricity type of sensation. I felt it more emotionally than physically. I had to make sure never to voice that out loud because Emmett would call me a pansy-ass again.

I waited for Bella to move away from the corner and followed her into the lobby. I had a strange sort of awareness of where she was. I was fairly certain that if I closed my eyes I could weave through a crowd of people and find her. She paused to bundle up. The rest of us had worn our coats down in the elevator. Miss Swan's attire was quite an ordeal. It was cold outside but nothing short of cross-country skiing could warrant the sheer amount of clothing she was intent on wearing. She pulled on a pair of thick wool gloves that went up to her elbows while Jasper and Emmett silently argued over who was going to help her into her coat. Emmett gestured wildly, and Jasper shook his head. He'd been close enough to take her coat off of her arm when she started to bundle up, and he didn't plan on relinquishing it.

Rosalie made a show of her irritation. She tapped her heeled boots and clicked her tongue at the display Emmett and Jasper were making. Jasper won the coat war just as Bella looked up from pulling her arms into the second mitten. I chuckled because the two guys looked like they'd flipped a switch and started behaving like normal human beings. James watched the entire exchange with contempt.

"Thank you," Bella said.

Alice looked crestfallen. She had been sneaking glances at Jasper whenever James wasn't watching her, and her expression was that of a person lost in the middle of a snowstorm who found a cabin ahead. I raised an eyebrow at her, and she moved her eyes back and forth begging me not to bring it up before she tilted her head slightly toward James. She sighed deeply. It fit. Alice couldn't go after Jasper because of James. However, James didn't seem to have any qualms about undressing Bella with his eyes. He studied her small frame like she was a meal and he was starving.

"Okay, is Princess Swan sufficiently bundled up?" Rosalie was being a bit more snarky than usual. She flipped her hair and marched out the front door. It was pretty impressive; had her irritation been directed at me, I might have been intimidated.

I checked on Jasper and Emmett's progress only to find Emmett tying Bella's scarf for her. She looked terrified.

"Really, guys, I'm perfectly capable of putting on my own scarf and hat," she protested and tried to shoo Emmett away. It was like watching a kitten try to intimidate a bear. I chuckled with a bit more volume than I'd intended and earned an death-glare from the kitten. It only amused me further, and I had to cover my mouth to keep from laughing. Alice was amused, too. I could hear the quiet sound of her musical laugh.

Bella finally succeeded in swatting Emmett's meaty hands back and attempted to stalk off after Rosalie. She ruined the effect by tripping and losing one of her shoes. I laughed again. Her cheeks turned a brilliant shade of red. She cautiously slipped her foot back into the shoe and made a show of straightening herself. Her exit went off without further incident. James ushered Alice along behind her, pushing her little legs with his pace.

"How on Earth does that girl manage to skate?" I asked Jasper, nodding toward Bella.

"I don't know, but word has it she's wicked fast." He shrugged.

Emmett ushered us through the doors. We hit the curb just as Rosalie finished hailing a second cab. I had to give it to Rosalie; she had a nice body and knew how to use it to her advantage. Alice leaned into a cab and gave the driver instructions before James pulled her away and forced her into the other one.

I exchanged a look with Emmett. He was gritting his teeth watching James with Alice. James pulled the small girl almost into his lap. She smiled and laughed but it wasn't her usual effervescent giggle. This situation was wrong, entirely wrong. Bella made a move to get into the same cab, but I was faster. There was no way I was going to leave Alice in a cab with that creep without appropriate supervision. It suddenly occurred to me that the reason I hadn't been able to spend as much time with my pixie of a best friend lately probably had something to do with James' behavior. Were they together? I was going to get to the bottom of the situation if I had to spend the entire evening with Alice and James-the-scumbag-Hunt. I understood her skating with him, but anything beyond that puzzled me. Alice seemed drawn to guys who bathed. James looked like he could use a bath in paint thinner to remove the layer of skuzz that seemed to float on the surface of his skin.

Rosalie slid into the front seat, leaving Bella frustrated and huffing on the curb. I followed her with my eyes as the brunette made her way to the other cab. Emmett indicated for her to slide in between him and Jasper. She shot a panicked look back at Alice who waved her forward. Emmett eyed Bella appreciatively and winked back at our cab while she slid in.

"I swear, those two are the biggest idiots," Rosalie huffed.

"Where to?" The cab driver drank in Rosalie when he asked. She shifted uncomfortably.

"The Modern," Alice piped up and eyed the cabbie until he pulled his gaze from Rosalie onto the road and began driving.

"They're just chasing her because she's new," James grunted. I scoffed at his nonchalance. He'd been just as intent on staring at the girl as the other two had. If he hadn't felt the need to stake a claim on Alice, he probably would have been all over her as well.

"The girl's obviously not interested in either of them," he continued.

_Kind of like how Alice isn't really interested in you?_

"Well, Emmett's usual goal is to get laid by as many chicks as possible before closing ceremonies," Rosalie remarked, sounding irritated. "My brother surprises me though. He doesn't usually chase tail."

"I can kind of understand her appeal," I interjected. Four sets of eyes all focused on me. _Mind your own business, cabbie. _ "I'm not saying I'm interested, but she's an enigma. An attractive, unknown athlete from Arizona who seems to lack an ego. There's something there to figure out." Alice's mouth dropped open far enough that I feared we'd need a forklift to lift it back into place.

"I said I wasn't interested; remember I'm supposed to finally meet up with Tanya," I reminded them. I didn't miss that Rosalie and Alice both stiffened at the mention of Tanya. "I just understand why they're after her."

"Sure, and I'm the queen of Sheba," Rosalie hissed from the front seat causing Alice to giggle.

The cab stopped, and our conversation halted. Rosalie paid the driver and hopped out. The rest of us slid out onto the curb. I offered Alice my hand and received a scowl from James.

**~Bella~**

That Cullen twerp took my seat on the ride to the club. So, I was stuck between the other Cullen twerp and Jasper Hale, both of whom were making me uncomfortable. The two were painfully attentive when I put on my coat, and then they shamelessly invaded my personal space in the car. The absolute worst part of the ordeal was the barrage of questions. I mean, really, I'm just not that interesting. Something in the conversation caused Emmett to shift uncomfortably in his seat, and Jasper shot him a look before pulling my attention over to him.

My eyebrows scrunched together, and I wondered what I'd said wrong. Jasper sensed my continued discomfort. He gave me an apologetic look and a slight smile.

"So, why the sudden interest in competing, bella Bella?"

"Well, it was my mom's dream really," I explained. "She wanted me to be a figure skater."

Jasper's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. He blinked a few times before shaking his head and composing himself.

"Go ahead and laugh, I know I'm not exactly graceful." I rolled my eyes and continued, "As it turned out I was abysmal at it. In addition we really didn't have the money for me to train nonstop. My Dad's a cop, and my mother exhausted her savings. So, I stopped skating for years." I took a deep breath. Did I really want to tell him this? "Renee, my mom, died two years ago. Some rich kid driving too fast in an SUV took out her little Ford. There was a massive trial and a lawsuit. I was seventeen and distraught. My dad all but disappeared from my life because I look like her, and it was too hard for him to look at me everyday."

"I'm sorry, Bella." Jasper took my hand in both of his and gently rubbed circles into the back of it. That was the moment when we pulled up to our destination.

Emmett wrapped an arm briefly around my shoulder before thrusting a wad of bills at the driver. We filed out of the car slightly more somber than when we had gotten in. The cold Vancouver air assaulted me, and I stood on the curb bouncing slightly and rubbing my arms through my thick jacket. The other cab pulled in behind ours, and the rest of our party filed out of it. Alice bypassed the line of people not-so-patiently waiting to get into the club and strutted her way up to the doorman and spoke rather animatedly with him.

"I'm going to go see if I can speed things along," Emmett declared and moved to follow Alice. Rosalie must have had the same thought because in moments she and Emmett flanked the pixie. The doorman instantly registered who they were; Rosalie was a celebrity and Emmett's dimpled grin wasn't one people forgot.

Edward and The Skeeze joined us.

"So, bella Bella, you didn't finish your story," Jasper prompted. "I know you tried your hand at figure skating, but how did you end up speed skating, sweet thing?"

"Ah, well... I needed an outlet for my grief. My Dad wasn't very helpful, so I put on my skates and used some of the money from the settlement from Renee's death to book some uninterrupted time at the rink." I glanced at him. I had never actually told anyone why I skated. "But, I found that I didn't want to jump or spin; all I wanted to do was skate and skate fast. I booked the rink before school several times a week and just skated until I stopped crying every morning."

Jasper placed his hand on my back and ushered me toward the club where everyone else was waiting.

"Go on," he urged.

"The rink owner, Mr. Fletcher, was impressed by my speed and timed me." I walked and talked with Jasper steering my body toward the hum of bass spilling from the club. "He called a coach he knew who called me. Coach Banner gave me purpose and direction when I really had none. I trained with him and excelled in short track. So, here I am, kind of living my mother's dream." I paused and pulled off my gloves. Jasper gently took my coat. "It's the last favor I can do for her."

"That's actually pretty inspiring, bella Bella," he spoke into my ear. I lifted my head to look at him and caught Edward studying me intently. He stood slightly behind Jasper with his head cocked to one side. A look of concern crossed his face, and I quickly hid my grief. I didn't need anyone's pity. Especially not his. For goodness sakes, he couldn't even shake my hand properly. I didn't need him to know my speed came from my need to run from my own emotions.

The club was indeed modern. The art was painted directly onto the walls, the lighting tinted violet. I glanced at the dance floor which was lit from underneath. Alice ushered us to a black leather booth, and we all slid in. She ordered a Virgin Mary for herself after making sure it was actually a Virgin Mary rather than just tomato juice. I hesitated, and Jasper ordered me a Cosmopolitan. I shot him a glance, and he smirked.

"Drinking age is nineteen, and I figured you probably didn't know what to get." He patted my hand. "It's a girl drink; you'll like it."

I wasn't so fond of my first alcoholic beverage. However, the burn seemed to lessen as I drank more. I don't know how many I downed, but I found myself on the dance floor with Jasper. My usual clumsiness dissipated as we swayed and grinded on the dance floor. After a few songs Edward appeared behind me and pulled my body into his. My heart fluttered, and I wanted to melt into him. He just felt right, like he should be there. He only danced with me for one song and left a kiss on my neck that left me wanting desperately to be somewhere private with him before he walked away.

Alice and Rosalie replaced him after a while, and then I found myself in a sea of strangers. I wasn't sure what had happened, but suddenly I couldn't find them. I panicked. My heart jumped up into my throat, and I clenched at my chest with my fist. I was breathing rapidly. The dance floor felt like it was spinning, and I was disoriented.

A very large pair of dark hands wrapped around my waist and kept me from hitting the floor. I looked up into a pair of soft brown eyes set in a beautiful face before passing out completely.

**~Jasper~**

After I left Bella I watched her dance with Edward. That boy surprised me. He was fairly forward with her. His hands were all over her and then he kissed her neck at the end of the song. Alice and Rose flanked her soon after. I continued to watch. The girl was amazing. Her story completely explained her shyness and the lack of ego. She wasn't doing this for herself. It was about her mother.

I had nearly strangled Emmett on the ride over. He had been trying covertly to get information out of her regarding her sexual experience. It worked for the most part except that he didn't get the answers he wanted. My friend didn't even have the common courtesy to hide his dismay. Instead, the lug completely shut down and stopped speaking to her when he'd asked enough questions to determine that Bella was a virgin. I did appreciate that he stopped pursuing her for his sordid purposes after that. He wasn't a total asshole. Emmett didn't want this girl's first time to be with him because he knew it would mean nothing and she'd get hurt. She was a genuinely nice person. I didn't want to hurt her either.

Rose and Alice excused themselves from Bella, but I doubt she noticed. Her movements had become slightly slower and more lethargic. I stood to extract her from the dance floor but a disturbance at the bar caught my attention. James had his hand around some guy's throat, and Alice was holding her hands up trying to calm him. Security began to converge on the scene. I rolled my eyes and glanced back at Bella, who seemed alright for the moment, before turning to our booth. Rose was wrapped around Emmett with her teeth at his ear. Edward looked at me, and we rolled our eyes at the antics of our siblings. The two pretended to hate each other so much, but underneath they were actually a perfect match.

I signaled to the three of them to follow me to the bar. Edward was the only one who moved. He and I were still relatively sober. I'd had club soda, and Edward drank one gin and tonic. We left our siblings, and I showed him the scene at the bar. Edward turned to intervene but stopped cold. I followed his line of sight and cursed under my breath. Bella was still on the dance floor, but she looked disoriented. I knew I shouldn't have let her have those last two drinks. She spun around before her eyes went wide, and she turned pale. Edward gestured for me to get Alice since he was closer to Bella. He ran for her, but someone else got there first.

Jacob Black caught Bella just in time. She whirled around one last time and went limp. Jacob Black was a snowboarder from New Zealand with a reputation. He was almost as big of a ladies' man as Emmett was. He and his crew were notorious for their debauchery. I was actually surprised that he was at a club this tame. Edward could handle the situation. I rushed to Alice and extracted her from the situation. I dragged her to collect Emmett and Rose since James was being forcibly removed from the bar. He was already outside by the time we'd collected our coats.

"This is bullshit!" James railed at the bouncer who blocked him from reentering the club. Alice sighed and let out a soft growl before going to James' side. She wrapped her arms around him from the side.

"Shhhh, James, baby, let's just go," she pleaded. "We have practice tomorrow, and Laurent will be pissed off if we're tired and sloppy."

"Fine!" he shouted at her before shrugging her off a little too violently. He turned on the bouncer. "We're not coming back here! I was just protecting what's mine!"

Alice hailed them a cab and climbed in with James. I made a move to get in as well, and she shook her head.

"What the hell was that?" Emmett slurred.

"Who cares, baby?" Rosalie slurred back and kissed him sloppily.

I loaded them into a cab and slipped the driver enough money to ensure they'd make it back to the Olympic Village safely. I waited for Edward and Bella outside. Hopefully, he'd be able to extract her from Mr. Black without any difficulty. I waited for five minutes, and just as I decided to go back in after them, Edward emerged from the club cradling Bella in his arms with her jacket draped over her, and Jacob Black in tow.

**~Bella~**

We were walking in the snow. It drifted down like perfect white feathers from the sky. I had never seen it fall before. The little cold flakes of fluff made the scene seem even more peaceful. I twirled around and caught the flakes on my tongue. Edward laughed and pulled me into his side. I hummed my approval and snuggled in. His wool overcoat scratched my cheek and tickled my nose. He smelled so good, like pine and lavender. We stopped near the water, and I pulled away just a bit to glance at its shimmering surface. Edward shifted so that I stood in front of him and rested his chin on my shoulder. I could feel his breath on my ear all the way in my core. Just being close to him twisted me into knots. I turned slowly. His hands smoothed my coat as I moved. I lifted my head as he leaned down, his lips pressed against mine. I sighed in utter contentment, and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue into my mouth. The sensation was too much. I groaned and pressed firmly into him. He awakened parts of me and desires I had never felt.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Go away," I moaned into my pillow.

"Bella! Get up!" Coach Banner's unmistakable shout could have been heard in New York.

"I'm coming." I rolled out of bed and made my way to the door.

"Rough night?" He smirked after I opened the door. His voice hurt my head. I looked down and noticed that I was still in my clothes from the night before.

"Quiet!" I whispered at him and held my head.

"Crap, Swan, did you go out drinking?" he boomed again. I shuddered.

"I think so," I muttered.

"Well, I've managed to find a patch of ice for you to practice on this morning. You have twenty minutes to meet me out front. Grab your gear, get some breakfast, some Tylenol, and for goodness sakes, hydrate," he ordered and marched down the hall.

_What the hell happened last night?_

I changed and grabbed my gear. The trip downstairs to the dining hall was excruciating. The lights were too bright, the elevator jostled my brain around in my head, and there were too many people making too much noise. I got into the dining hall and grabbed the last nonfat yogurt and made a beeline for the water cooler. My mouth tasted like a cat had curled up in it and slept all night.

_I am never drinking again._

Coach Banner was outside waiting for me with a car. I climbed into the back, drank my entire water bottle, and scarfed down my yogurt. Coach Banner passed me another water bottle and nodded emphatically. I downed that one in two gulps. Practice was going to be long and hard.

**~Alice~**

Practice was a pain in the butt. Laurent worked us harder than he ever had before in retaliation for the media coverage James' little outburst had caused. His hangover made things worse. His focus was completely blown, and it didn't matter how well I skated. I hit the ice time after time. On our final attempt at running through our technical routine, he twisted at a funny angle and violently wrenched my shoulder.

I cried out, and Laurent rushed over to us. James attempted to continue with the program. I tried to push through the pain, but Laurent stopped us.

"I need to check her shoulder, James." Laurent separated us.

"She's fine," James spat. He pulled my arm up, and I whimpered.

"Let me see it," he protested and removed my wrist from James' fist. Laurent gingerly pressed the joint, and I shrieked. "She needs treatment."

"Fine!" James stormed off the ice, and Laurent ushered me to one of the U.S. Olympic Team doctors.

James had pulled my arm hard enough to dislocate the shoulder. Laurent held my hand and distracted me while the orthopedist popped it back into place. They sent me back to the village with a taped shoulder and a bottle of pain medicine that had to be taken with food. My gear was being sent back with a runner.

So, I was at the dining hall while breakfast was still being served. I stood next to the pile of trays and pulled one from the top. I could hold it in my right hand and move through the line. I slowly filled my tray and struggled to balance it. I felt it tip to the side, and a hand caught the edge. I looked up into a pair of intense blue eyes belonging to none other than Jasper Hale. He smiled, and his eyes lit up.

"I thought you could use some help, darlin'," he offered.

"Thank you," I breathed.

He carried my tray into the dining room where he led me to a table with Edward. Jasper placed my tray onto the table next to a half empty one. I cocked my head to the side in question.

"I saw you struggling through the window," Jasper explained. He pulled my chair out, and I sat. He slid into his chair and glanced down at me. "So, how did it happen?"

I hesitated.

**~Jasper~**

She hesitated, and I knew James had injured her. I clenched my fist under the table and tried to keep my expression calm. They had fought last night, and he hurt her in practice this morning.

"I, um, I went the wrong direction," she whispered into her lap. The girl was a terrible liar. I heard Edward's jaw snap shut.

"So, it's dislocated?" I reminded myself that she was injured and taking care of her came first. I touched her back gently. She winced even at that contact.

"Yeah," she sighed. "It's painful, but I should be fine to compete next week."

"I don't understand, Alice. Why are you with this guy?" Edward was very close to whining.

"Because he's my only chance at a medal," she spoke into her lap again. I sighed. Her assessment of the situation couldn't be further from the truth. Of the two, Alice Brandon was the talent. James had once been a good skater but had gotten sloppy. Alice made him look good. I would have said something to her about it, but I knew there was no way she'd believe me in her current emotional state. She was worn out and beaten-down. I sighed and turned back to my food. We dropped the conversation.

"What happened with Bella last night?" Alice asked. She tried to cut up a sausage link with her fork, and I took her plate and cut her food for her.

"Well, while your idiotic partner was busy getting kicked out of The Modern, Bella passed out on the dance floor." I stole a bite of her food and passed her tray back. "Edward here, whom I think harbors a secret crush on bella Bella -" Edward flipped me off "- was in the middle of running to said damsel's rescue when none other than the lothario, debaucherer, and snowboarder Jacob Black caught our dear Bella before she hit the ground. Edward didn't like that. Did you Eddie-boy?"

Edward scowled at me.

"Anyway, Edward carried her outside and Black followed. As it turns out he's not a total scumbag. He helped us get her into the dorm and up to y'all's room. The guy seems pretty nice."

"He's not," Edward stated.

"Come on, Edward, he's no worse than Emmett," I commented.

"I'm not sure that he would have been such a gentleman had we not been there -"

"Edward, you're not insinuating -"Alice broke into the discussion.

"I am," Eward spat. "Listen, Bella is really innocent in several ways. Jasper, I caught the end of your talk with her last night, and Emmett filled me in on the rest this morning when he finally hauled his butt in from Rosalie's room. A guy like him would be no good for her."

"You're a little possessive over a girl you don't care about," I pressed and took a swig of orange juice.

"I just don't want anything bad to happen to her," Edward whined again. It was a sure sign that he was lying to himself.

Black walked in with his tray and his snowboard. He spotted us, and I waved him over.

"Speak of the devil," I mumbled.

Edward leaned across the table and whispered, "You did not just invite him over here."

"We don't even know if he's after your girlfriend or not, Edward." I gave him a look to shut him up.

"Hey, peeps." Jacob plopped down at the end of the table and balanced his snowboard next to him. "How was drinking beauty this morning?"

"_Bella_ had an early practice," Edward answered in a less than civil tone.

"She seemed fine," I gave a more polite answer and kicked Edward under the table. He flinched.

"Hi, Jacob, I'm Alice." She stretched her hand across the table to shake his.

"Please, call me Jake." He winked at her, and Alice giggled. Perhaps he didn't need to have access to Bella.

"So, Jake where are you from? I hear a slight lilt to your accent. New Zealand, perhaps?" She cocked her head to the side and batted her eye lashes. What the hell was she doing?

"You're right, most people don't get that first guess." He smiled and gave her a slight nod.

"I need to leave," Edward excused himself and stomped off with his tray.

"What's his problem?" Jake stared after Edward.

"Don't mind him, he's just irritable." Alice shrugged and then winced. Her little face scrunched up, and it was painful for me to watch. I guessed that her medicine was in her purse and opened it. I suppose that I should have asked, but she didn't seem to mind. I fished out the prescription bottle and placed a pill in front of her before stowing the bottle. Jake watched the exchange and smiled.

"So, how long have the two of you been together? I know you figure skating types, always teaming up off the ice..." He grinned and winked.

"Oh, we're not together." Alice shook her head a bit too emphatically, and my heart broke. It was wrong for me to want her to say anything else, but did she have to deny it so quickly or thoroughly?

**~Rosalie~**

I woke up to the strong scent of roses and breakfast. My head was still pounding, and I wasn't quite sure how I ended up half-naked in my bed, but someone had left a dozen roses and a full breakfast on my small writing desk. Damn that Emmett Cullen and his charming ways. He charmed the panties right off of me.

I wrapped myself in my blanket and walked to the desk. There was a note. My fingers shook. I didn't know why I was nervous about a note from a guy with whom I'd apparently just slept. I unfolded it and slowly smoothed out all of the creases.

_Dear Rose,_

_I'm sorry I had to leave this morning. I hope the flowers and breakfast make up for my absence. I didn't know what else to get, so I ordered roses. They aren't as beautiful as you are, but I hope you enjoy them. I'd like to see you tonight, as in a date. Please say yes._

_See you tonight (hopefully),_

_Emmett_

_P.S. I know you woke up in a position that looks compromising, but I assure you I was a complete gentleman and nothing happened._

Tonight. A smile spread across my face. Emmett Cullen didn't do dates. I jumped up and down, spun around the room, and did a little victory dance before the door opened, revealing my roommate. I immediately sat down at the desk, wrapped in my blanket, and ate my breakfast.

**~Emmett~**

I was in new territory with Rosalie Hale. Shit, I really liked her. As in I liked her enough to forgo my traditional Olympic experience of getting as many chicks into bed as possible for her. I only wanted her. I realized it on the ride to the club that first night. Jasper and I were getting information from Bella about her experience and her life. My moment of clarity came when I found out that the beautiful woman who sat between me and Jazz had never even been kissed. She spent her life caring for her parents, studying, and training. The girl was honest and completely innocent. I suddenly saw every girl I potentially took advantage of. But I also saw Rosalie Hale. Jasper was right, there was something there.

So, I stepped out of my comfort zone. I committed myself to only chasing one woman. I wanted Rosalie and no one else. So, when I found myself back in her room I did something completely unprecedented: I turned down sex in favor of snuggling. Why? Hell if I know, but we were both drunk off our asses, and I really wanted to remember our first time together. Because I wanted to do that often. I'm not going to say it was easy. Little Emmett certainly protested, and I couldn't sleep. So I got up early, wrote her a note just in case she woke up, borrowed her room key, ran back to my room and got cleaned up. I called a florist and ordered some roses because they're classic and her name is Rose and shit. I picked them up and got her some breakfast since I didn't know whether or not she and Jasper had scored some practice time that morning. I swapped out my original note for a new one and laid everything out just in time for her to start stirring. I left her key and snuck out as quickly as I could.

I had turned into a girl. A damn lovestruck girl with puppy dog eyes and a little pouty face. But it would be worth it if I could have Rosalie.

Things went well. We fell into a routine with practice and interviews and dating and shit. We didn't have a ton of free time, but it was enough. Our circle of friends seemed to integrate quite well. Alice became quick friends with Rosalie, and I could almost swear that something was going on between Alice and Jazz, but he refused to speak about it. Bella fit in seamlessly. She could talk music with Jazz and Edward, she allowed Rose and Alice to dress her up and drag her shopping, and she was just like the little sister I never had. There was something going on between her and Edward as well. I politely ignored that shit as I didn't want to think about my little brother and my little sister, that would be like incest or something. Besides, it seemed like they were dating other people in public.

**~Edward~**

It started off innocently enough. I noticed Bella liked to run between practices in the morning. So, I started heading down to the gym to run with her. The other three U.S. short-track skaters trained together, but she avoided them unless they were weight-training or skating. For cardio, she punished herself on the treadmill or the bike. I rearranged my schedule to join her. I begged Emmett to change around some of our practice times so I could do it. He gave me a look, but ultimately he made it work.

Bella had an unusual number of interviews. She handled them with grace, but the media was obviously building her up as "Short-track's Golden Girl." She didn't like the attention, and it wore her down emotionally. The real media storm hadn't even started yet, and she was tired of it. The morning show interviews were going to kill her. As it was, reporters asked uncomfortable questions about her past and her relationship with her mother, and no one was trying to make her cry yet.

However, everyone loved the shy, unassuming girl from Arizona. Sometimes the attention she received bothered me. Particularly when it came from Jacob Black.

Jacob pursued Bella as soon as they were properly introduced. I was very angry with Jasper for that one. I didn't like the snowboarder or his friends. He touched Bella too much and stood too close to her. She seemed fine with this, but it bothered me to no end. He was quick with a joke or a stupid pick-up line, and he never made her actually cope with the issues that she was facing. The boy was all fun and no substance.

However, when Jacob wasn't around, she curled into my side or rested her head in my lap. We watched a movie one night, and I ran my fingers through her soft hair and massaged her scalp. I wanted to help her, to make her feel better and not just for a little while.

So the day before her first race, I watched her closely. She was on the edge of breaking and that was when I decided to push her just a bit. If she was going to break down, it needed to be before she hit the ice.

**~Bella~**

My first practice in Vancouver cemented it. I was never ever drinking again. Coach Banner worked me hard, and part of me appreciated it. I could almost feel my mother over my shoulder watching me. The emotion seeped from my chest into the rest of my body, and I pushed as hard as I could to keep from crying. I spent extra time in the gym when I couldn't get it on the ice. Edward often ran on the treadmills with me in the morning. Our interaction was strange. It was like we were both trying to say something without saying it. The day before my first race as we were running, I felt him staring at me.

"Bella?" He looked at my reflection in the large mirrored wall rather than directly at me.

"Yeah?" I found myself talking to his reflection as well.

"How are you really doing?" he asked.

"I'm fine." I increased the speed and incline on the treadmill.

"That's not very convincing," he muttered.

"I'm fine, really." I pushed the speed faster.

"It would be okay if you weren't."

"There's nothing wrong with me. Things are great. I'm getting into the zone." My response sounded wrong even in my own ears.

"Are you upset that Charlie isn't coming?" he ventured.

"No, I understand. The department is short-staffed, and he just can't make it." Click, click, click, up went the speed on the treadmill, and my feet were moving faster than Edward's.

"Bella, you're not fine."

The only answer I gave him was my feet pounding on the treadmill. The rhythm was steady and fast. I couldn't keep it up for long, but I needed to run until it hurt. I heard him exhale a steady stream of air. He sounded upset. I glanced back up at his reflection, and his eyes seemed to burn.

"Are you going out with Jacob this afternoon?" He had been edgy about Jacob since Jasper introduced him as the man who saved me from a face-plant on the dance floor. Jacob was nice. He made me laugh and never pushed issues like how I was coping with being in Vancouver without my one surviving family member. He never asked about my need to push myself harder than was strictly necessary. Instead, he provided a much-needed distraction.

"Yes, we're heading out to the slopes since he's found a beginners' course that isn't being used, and he's going to teach me how to snowboard," I finally responded.

"Are you and he...?" He looked at me and shook his head. "Forget it, it's none of my business."

"Are we what?"

"It's really not my place."

"You started to ask Edward, what's the question?"

"Are you sleeping with him?" He looked ashamed as soon as he got the question out.

"You're right; that _is_ none of your business." I clicked the speed up two more times.

"I'm sorry, I was wrong to have asked," he whispered.

"Well, I'm not having sex with Jake."

"I'm sorry, Bella."

I couldn't quite put my finger on why the conversation bothered me. Had Emmett or Alice or even Jasper asked the question, I would have just answered. However, Edward was different. We kept our distance in public. It was almost like we made sure that no one ever saw us alone. But in private or when we were with our friends, it was like all of the distance we put between ourselves the rest of the time inverted, and we were sucked into each other. I kept having dreams about him. Alice even commented on them since I have a tendency to talk in my sleep. I really wanted to kiss him.

My pace was grueling, but I needed more intensity. I cranked up the incline a notch and felt the familiar burn in my legs.

"I'm worried about you and Jake. I don't want you to get your heart broken," he admitted. His eyes were fixed on my legs.

"Don't worry, I'm in no danger of that." I ran mercilessly.

"Bella, please slow down, you're killing yourself over there."

That did it. He cared, and that did me in. I dropped the incline on the treadmill and turned it off without cooling down. I had to leave because the floodgates were about to open. Renee was dead, and even winning a medal wouldn't bring her back. Charlie was in Phoenix and didn't take off work to see his little girl compete because this was Renee's dream, and he couldn't think about her. But the icing on the cake was that I wanted Edward Cullen to love me, and he didn't. He wanted to be my friend or my brother regardless of the chemistry that I knew we both felt. I remembered our dance and his lips on my neck before he walked away. There was too much to hurt over, and there were too many things to run from. There was too much pain. I felt like my heart was being removed with a butter knife.

I was at the door when he stopped me. He grabbed my wrist too tightly and turned me around. His eyes were wide with devastation and shock. I couldn't hide my pain any longer. I'd pushed too hard for too long, and I was about to shatter into a million tiny pieces of glass. I didn't want to break in a gym full of other athletes, but Edward wasn't giving me a choice. I tried to twist my arm out of his grasp, but he shifted his grip.

"Please, not here," I begged, and he dragged me out of the gym and down the hall past the locker rooms. He found an empty instruction room and pulled me into it.

"You can't go on like this, love."

I did a double-take. Had he really called me _love_?

"I can't do this with you, Edward," I whispered.

"Why not?"

"Because with you the lines blur, and I can't do that." I finally pulled my wrist away from him. "I can't risk my heart, too, right now. Okay?"

"What are you talking about, Bella?" He cocked his head to the side and confirmed that he hadn't thought of me that way.

"If I allow myself to talk to you about this, if I open up, if I give you any form of emotional intimacy even if it is meant just as your friend or your little sister, I will break," I stammered. "I can't risk falling for you."

I ran from the room, and he let me go. The tears poured down my face. I left my things in the locker room and ran back to the dorm. Safely locked in my room and under my covers, still in my sweaty work out clothes caked with sludge and ice from my run over, I broke down and cried like I never had. I needed Renee. I finally had a problem that Renee could have helped with, and she was gone. I had no one to go to with this.

**~Alice~**

Edward called me to collect her things. He'd upset Bella, and she ran all the way back to the dorm in workout tights, shorts, and a sports bra. I appreciated his concern, but the day prior to her first Olympic event wasn't the time to push her into talking. The pain was what made her focus. She needed something to run from in order to produce that kind of speed and aggression that she had to have in order to win. Short-track racing was brutal, and Bella couldn't afford to lose her edge.

I found Bella's blue combination lock on a locker in the corner. I felt for resistance with my fingers and figured out the combination in no time. I piled her things into her bag and slung it over my shoulder. It was sore but usable, and I'd been given the green light for competition.

I dodged James outside of practice. I knew the injury wasn't an accident. He was angry with me. So, I played a little game of hide and seek and found ways to hang out with my friends. Jasper was most helpful with that. I sighed just thinking about that one.

We snuck out to watch a movie with Bella and Edward, and on the walk home, we lost them. Jasper led me on a walk through the city. We found a quiet street and talked for a long time while we leaned up against a building.

"Rosalie is going to go to Stanford next year," he announced.

"Really, that's great." I faked some enthusiasm because his sister was the last person I wanted to talk about.

"She's leaving me high and dry without a partner."

"Oh... Well, I'm certain that you could find someone else easily," I complimented him.

"Thanks, darlin', but there's only one person I would ask to skate with me..."

"Really?" He was close to me, and my heart rate picked up.

"Alice?"

"Yes?"

"Would you consider leaving James and being my partner?" He was nervous, and his voice broke slightly.

"I would love to," I breathed.

"Good," he chuckled.

That was the end of my self-control. I grabbed him by his hair and pulled his mouth down to mine. His mouth opened immediately and mine quickly followed. He tasted like Junior Mints and popcorn. Our lips moved together in perfect synchronicity. I was lightheaded, and my heart felt like it would beat straight out of my chest. I whimpered slightly at the sensation of his tongue slipping along mine. I felt a fire building in my chest and submitted myself to it. The sensation was so good it was painful. Jasper groaned and slid his hands in a burning path to my backside. He lifted me up off the ground. I could feel his body slide along mine as he found a better angle for our lips to meet. I gasped, and he moved his lips to my neck. He nipped a path between my ear and the base of my throat before moving back to my lips. Eventually, we stilled, and he looked into my eyes.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"Anytime," I sighed. "I just need one favor. James can't know until after we're finished. If he knows while I'm still forced to deal with him, he'll be difficult."

"Alice, is he hurting you?" His face turned serious as he set me down gently.

"I can handle myself, Jasper." I took his hand and started walking back to our regular lives. Our little interlude on the walk home seemed like a dream, and I didn't want to ruin it by talking about James' dark and vindictive nature.

We left the discussion there. Although I spent every waking moment wanting to touch or kiss him, I had to be content with secret glances and sweet, seemingly innocent touches that meant more.

**~Edward~**

I watched Bella from my seat between Alice and Jasper. She stood just off to the side of the ice and stretched. Her first heat would be starting at any moment. She looked like an emotional wreck. I wished I could take back what I'd said and done in the gym the day before. In trying to get her to open up, it seemed I hurt her more. When I told Alice, she rolled her eyes and chastised me for pushing Bella too far. She told me I should have just let her run. I hadn't talked to Bella since, but I said I'd watch her skate and so I did. Her uniform really should have been illegal. While it was true that figure skaters wore far less clothing, there was something about Bella in that particular tight unitard that I couldn't pull my eyes away from. I suppressed a groan for fear that Alice or Jasper would hear it.

The Coliseum went silent. Bella adjusted the strap on her helmet and got into starting position. She steadied herself with a breath, and I held mine. I couldn't make out what was being said over the loud speaker, but the women on the ice hunkered down at the starting line. The sound of the gun ricocheted around the arena, and the skaters took off, Bella skating somewhat awkwardly until she gained some speed. She was in front, one skate crossing smoothly in front of the other, and she leaned down to skim the ice with her left hand as she navigated the first turn. Directly behind her, one of her competitors caught the tip of a skate on the ice and careened into the padded wall, taking another skater with her. Bella didn't seem to notice. She continued smoothly with one skate flowing over the other in perfect rhythm on the ice. She was fast, perfectly balanced, and steady. On the second lap, she had outstripped her competition

"Holy shit! Is that Bella!?" Emmett boomed from behind me. I didn't turn to answer but felt Alice nod beside me. "Is she gonna lap them?"

"She might," Jasper whispered in awe. But then it was over. Bella's arms stopped swinging, and she slowed down. She'd won the first heat. Another skater slid in behind her, and they clasped hands for a moment. She slowed to a stop and looked up at the crowd. Bella's smile was clear. She'd done it.

I waited for her. When she made her way out of the locker room, she was still beaming. I pulled her into a tight hug and swung her around just a bit. She squealed and laughed into my ear.

"You were fantastic," I praised her.

"Thanks for coming," she responded shyly as I lowered her back onto the ground.

"So, are you hungry?" I asked.

"Starving! I could out-eat Emmett right now." She grinned as I pulled her along to meet up with the rest of our friends. I noticed how easily her hand slipped into mine. It didn't feel uncomfortable or clammy or hot. Her fingers slid in between mine so naturally I felt like her hand was an extension of my own. Perhaps there was more there than I thought. Maybe Bella Swan was more right for me than I wanted to admit.

**~Jasper~**

My long-time friend, Edward, could be pretty obtuse sometimes. Alice told him about Bella's dreams. She'd already told me in confidence. With that knowledge, Edward owned up to his feelings and told Bella he wanted to be more than her friend. Bella stopped seeing Jacob, and she started dating Edward. The two were inseparable.

In the meantime, my own secret love life was going swimmingly. Although I was fairly certain that Emmett and Rosalie both knew something was going on, Alice and I were fortunate that they held their tongues. Our only problem lay with one James Hunt.

I couldn't watch her skate with him. So, I did what I could. I gave her a gentle kiss and smacked her on the rear to wish her luck. She giggled and shook so the beads hanging off her costume shook vigorously. I made my way back to the green room and carefully avoided the monitors as their music for the free skate started. Their scores were decent, but they would have to land every jump in order to compete with me and Rosalie. As it was, Rose and I seemed to be in a very good position to medal. Our totals came to high nines across the board, and I couldn't have asked for much more. I was grateful to Rose. She had spent the past two years working her tail off with me instead of going professional as a singles skater or transferring to Stanford like she'd initially intended. However, our victory was bittersweet. Had I been introduced to Alice Brandon or had she been suggested by our coach, then this would have been our medal. It would have been our Olympics, our time to shine. As it was, I had to watch her skate with James, and I couldn't force myself to see his hands on her.

I turned a chair away from the monitors and avoided looking at any member of the press too closely. NBC always seemed to have a camera in here. Rosalie hobbled in and sat down to face me. She'd already removed her skates, slung them over her shoulder, taken her hair down, and iced her ankle after our interview. I had been delayed wishing Alice luck, and my skates were still on my feet. She looked at them and then at me before patting my shoulder and grimacing slightly.

There was a gasp from the back of the room, and Rose's eyes snapped to the monitor. She turned white. My head snapped around, and I didn't think. The world stopped as my heart beat only one word, "Alice." I was on my feet and running in my skates down the hall to the ice. I caught the replay on one of the press monitors as I passed, and I knew that nothing else mattered in that moment. I was going to give it all up for Alice.

**~Rosalie~**

Holy crap! What the hell was Jasper doing? He fled down the hall toward the rink on his skates. Damn, he was fast. I discarded my ice pack, disregarded my ankle, and hobbled after him as fast as I could. He was faster than I was. He had to slow down to push through the crowd and remove the guards from his skates. It was then that I caught him. My hand touched his shoulder, and he looked at me with black eyes. I knew instantly that the past two years were nothing compared to that girl on the ice. He was going to give up everything for her, and I was going to let him.

He shook my arm off and flew across the ice. He would need help with James. I pulled my skates off my shoulder and roughly shoved them onto my feet. I got the laces done in record time and was on the ice before security could stop me. I looked around for help and found that everyone was too dumbstruck by what was happening to move except for Edward, Bella, and Emmett. I caught a glimpse of the brothers flying up the stairs. Bella was standing behind the glass that separated the rink from the audience. She had made it as close to Alice as she could. Her cheeks were streaked with tears, and her hands were a brilliant shade of red from beating on the glass. She was screaming.

I saw Jasper punch James before smoothly skating over to Alice and lifting her effortlessly. James righted himself quicker than anyone could have expected, and I flew to keep him away from my brother. I couldn't feel my injured ankle or my fatigue. What I could feel was anger. I placed myself between him and Alice and vowed that he wouldn't get close to them. James smirked at me and attempted to skate around me, but I caught him in the jaw with my fist and, damn, did it feel good. I connected with his gut next; he backed up and blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.

"Bitch," he spat and came at me still doubled in pain. He was going to try to plow me over. I was faster. My hair flew wildly as I spun around him and grabbed him by that greasy disgusting pony tail at the back of his head. He winced. I pulled harder, and his knees started to buckle. He was still struggling.

"Stay down," I grunted and punched him in his back right over the kidney. The douche was going to be pissing blood. He finally stopped fighting and dropped to the ice with his head still raised by the hair I held in my hand.

The rink was quiet. All fourteen thousand spectators had stopped speaking or moving. The only sound I heard was Bella still wailing behind the glass and shouts from Edward and Emmett who were desperately trying to find a way down to us. I threw James' head to the side and dropped to my knees in pain and exhaustion. My knuckles were starting to ache, and the pain in my ankle returned as the adrenaline wore off. It was then that I felt my cheeks and realized I had started to cry.

I don't know how long I sat there with the ice chilling my bare knees and soaking the ends of my costume before someone from security grabbed my arm, and I violently rolled my shoulder to get him off of me. I skated back off the ice and into Emmett's arms. He was so warm.

"Damn it, Rosie, you're freezing." He rubbed my back before lifting me off the ground. I buried my face into his chest and tried not to wipe my snotty nose on his shirt. I could feel the flash from thousands of cameras directed at me and Jasper. This was going to be a media nightmare, but Alice was finally safe. She might have been broken and injured, but she would heal. I looked up and watched Jasper gently lay Alice onto a gurney.

"She'll be fine, Jasper." Edward clapped a hand on my brother's shoulder. "She's been hurt worse in practice."

He brushed her forehead with his lips before security grabbed him. I caught a glimpse of Mr. and Mrs. Brandon flying to Alice's side before we were ushered into an office where Emmett sat me down and lovingly removed the skates from my feet before taking the seat next to me and caressing my hand.

"Good girl," he whispered into the top of my head.

"Well, I hope you're happy," the voice of our coach boomed from the doorway. "Jasper, Rose, you've been disqualified, and I quit! You can find someone else to work with you from here on out because you just gave up everything in one fell swoop."

"Good riddance!" Jasper shot back. The door slammed, and we were left in silence. Edward chuckled from the corner of the room, and we all turned to him.

"Well, it seems those morning show interviews you're supposed to do tomorrow are going to change drastically," he wise-cracked.

"Fine by me," I agreed and leaned back in to Emmett's shoulder to wait for someone else to come chew us out. I had nothing to regret. We'd done what was necessary.


End file.
